10 Things I Wished I’d Known Before using Hypnosis to Quit Smoking

Most people like to know what they are getting into when they’re about to embark on making a drastic change in their lives. Quitting smoking is drastic.

And opting for hypnosis is not necessarily the “slum dunk” that the marketing materials promote.

Some of my clients experience no cravings after their session while others it persists for a few weeks and challenges them. Point is everybody is different.

Just like David Letterman’s top 10 list, here is a list of 10 things you might want to consider before you embark on hypnosis to get you out of the smoking trap.

1. Are you truly ready to quit? Make certain you’re quitting for yourself and you’re doing so for all of the right reasons. For example are you under pressure from your family or friends – or even Doctor – hypnosis won’t work if you’re not ready to quit for yourself!

2. There are habits and situations you’ll have to surrender once you quit smoking, even if you do so through hypnosis. Placing yourself in situations which trigger or provoke the need to smoke is not good. Hypnosis is a proven therapy but constantly placing yourself in the way of temptation is flirting with danger.

3. Not everyone will be a non-smoker after the first session. Some individuals will require subsequent sessions until it works. There is also the possibility hypnosis might not work for some. Each situation will be different for each patient. Don’t hold to what worked for someone you know or read about as working exactly the same for you.

4. When quitting smoking, some people need to take up a physical habit to replace the oral fixation. Some individuals who are gradually weaning themselves from their oral fixations may be given post-hypnotic suggestions to chew gum or carrot sticks when the urge to light up tempts them.

5. You’re in control of whether or not hypnosis works for you. Individuals embarking on using hypnosis to stop smoking are required to develop from the outset a mindset in which they believe they will achieve being a non-smoker. If you go in believing it will help you, then it will!

6. Some therapeutic hypnotists will charge a lot more money than others. Just because one charges a fortune doesn’t make them “the best”. Also, some will charge really cheap rates to corner their markets. It is very important to do a little research on whom and what is available in your area. Also, be wary of success rates they guarantee!

7. Some smokers who have become addicted to nicotine might have a harder time quitting if they have developed a physiological addiction to the substance. This does not mean it is impossible to quit, only it might take a little longer.

8. When using hypnosis to replace bad habits it is important that you embark on quitting one addiction at a time even if you have others. Trying to quit them all at once will make it extremely hard and frustrating. This is destined to set you up for failure.

9. Hypnosis can’t guarantee immediate success and many need staying power to remain smoke free forever. There is a good chance one will relapse and smoke again. It is important to recognize this and not to give up on hypnosis. If it worked in the past it is destined to work again!

10. Just because hypnosis didn’t work if you tried it once or years ago, give it another chance. Several factors might have come into play which made it ineffective: Your mindset wasn’t right/ready, there was too much stress in your life, the therapist wasn’t very good and/or you really didn’t want to quit!

I quit smoking using hypnosis many years ago and I compiled this list based on my own experiences and those of my clients since opening my own hypnosis practice. Use this list to determine if you’re ready to quit and if hypnosis will help you get smoke free.

Finally, if you’re interested in more information about my own online or in-office sessions then check out my stop smoking hypnosis programs.

Erika Slater, CH
Director
Free At Last Hypnosis